Cistus plant named ‘Mickie’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct form of  Cistus  plant characterized by gold leaves with green centers, very stable leaf variegation, a low, mounding habit, and excellent vigor.

Botanical denomination: Cistus×hybridus.

Variety designation: ‘Mickie’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Cistus×hybridus, given the name, ‘Mickie’. Cistus is in the family Cistaceae. This gold edged, green centered variegation was found as a branch mutation of Cistus×hybridus growing on a street planting in a commercial area in Woodinville, Wash.

Compared to the parent, Cistus×hybridus, an unpatented plant, the new cultivar is variegated and has shorter, darker inflorescences with a darker green flowering stem and a lower denser habit.

Compared to Cistus×hybridus ‘Gold Prize’, an unpatented plant, the new cultivar has a lower mounding habit and has stable variegation.

Compared to Cistus plant named ‘Rencis’, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,410, the new cultivar has a lower habit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Cistus ‘Mickie’ is uniquely distinguished by:

-   -   1. gold leaves with green centers,     -   2. very stable leaf variegation,     -   3. a low, mounding habit, and     -   4. excellent vigor.

The new variety has been reproduced only by asexual propagation (cuttings and micropropagation). Each of the progeny exhibits identical characteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by cuttings and micropropagation using terminal and lateral shoots as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that the foregoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and are established and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The present invention has not been evaluated under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environment without a change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a close up of a two year old Cistus ‘Mickie’ with a flower growing in a five gallon container in June in Canby, Oreg.

FIG. 2 shows a four year old Cistus ‘Mickie’ growing in the garden in September in Canby, Oreg.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Cistus cultivar based on observations of a two-year-old specimen grown outside in five gallon containers in Canby, Oreg. in mid June. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 5^(th) edition.

-   Plant:     -   -   Type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Form.—Low, mounding.         -   Cold hardiness.—USDA Zone 7-10.         -   Size.—Grows to 81 cm wide and 28 cm high.         -   Vigor.—Excellent.         -   Stem.—Grows to 59 cm long and 6 mm wide, woody, with             internodes 2 to 4 cm long, Brown 200A.         -   Rooting.—Plants root easily from soft wood cuttings. -   Leaf:     -   -   Type.—Simple.         -   Arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Venation.—Pinnate.         -   Margins.—Slightly undulate, entire.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Truncate.         -   Blade size.—Grows to 4.7 cm long and 2.2 cm wide.         -   Surface texture.—Rugose, pubescent on both sides.         -   Petiole.—Grows to 15 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent,             Yellow Green 146C with slight tints of Greyed Purple 187B on             top side.         -   Fragrance.—No unusual scent.         -   Leaf color.—Brightest when grown in a full day of summer             sun, topside Yellow 11A with centers irregularly blotched             Yellow Green 147B, bottom side Yellow Green N144A with             blotch Yellow Green 147B; older leaves, top side Yellow             Green 147B with margins Yellow 11B, bottom side Yellow Green             147B with margins Yellow Green 146B. The fall foliage             coloration is the same as the plant is an evergreen. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Usually two, cymose, at axillary nodes on branch tips.         -   Peduncle.—Grows to 5.5 cm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent,             Yellow Green 144A.         -   Pedicel.—About 9 mm long and 1 mm wide, pubescent, Yellow             Green 144A.         -   Bloom period.—June in Canby, Oreg. -   Flower bud:     -   -   Size.—12 mm long and 5 mm wide at the widest point prior to             opening.         -   Description.—Ovoid.         -   Surface texture.—Pubescent.         -   Color.—Yellow Green 145D strongly tinted Greyed Purple 187B. -   Flower:     -   -   Type.—Actinomorphic.         -   Shape.—Rotate, cup shaped.         -   Size.—Grows to 35 mm wide and 6 mm deep.         -   Corolla description.—5 petals, each 2 cm long and 17 mm             wide, flabellate in shape, margin entire, tip premorse to             retuse, base cuneate, both sides glabrous and White NN155A             with Yellow 12A at the very base.         -   Calyx description.—15 mm wide and 7 mm deep, with 5 sepals,             grow to 9 mm long and 5 mm wide, ovate tips acuminate,             margin entire, base attenuate, pubescent outside, glabrous             inside, both sides Yellow 11D with edges Greyed Purple 187B.         -   Pistil description.—1, 3 mm long and 2 mm wide, ovary 1 mm             long and 2 mm wide, pubescent and Yellow Green 145B; style             less than 1 mm long, Yellow Green 145B, stigma globose, 2 mm             long and 2 mm wide, Yellow 11D.         -   Stamen description.—About 80 in number and showy, filaments             3.5 mm long and Yellow 13A, anthers less than 1 mm long and             Yellow Orange 23A, pollen Yellow Orange 23A.         -   Fragrance.—Slight.         -   Lastingness.—A flower lasts about 1 day. -   Fruit and seed: None, sterile. -   Pests and diseases: No particular pest or disease problems or     resistance has been observed. 

1. A new and distinct form of Cistus plant as shown and described. 